A woman walks by a UN sign at the UN buffer zone inside Pyla village, outskirt of coastal city of Larnaca, Cyprus, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2009. [Petros Karadjias/AP]
The United Nations peacekeeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) said on Monday it has increased patrols in the area of Pyla, a village located within the buffer zone in the southeast of the country, after the unauthorized entry of Turkish Cypriot security personnel.
UNFICYP said it will also maintain a visible presence on the ground.
“UNFICYP reiterates that unauthorized entry, presence, or activity within the buffer zone constitutes a violation of the mission’s mandate. Respect for the mission’s mandate is essential to maintaining stability in this sensitive area,” UNFICYP said in a statement on its social media account.
The peacekeeping force is “actively engaging with all relevant parties to restore the status quo ante and prevent actions that could adversely affect calm and stability in the area,” it added. “Maintaining calm and stability across the buffer zone remains UNFICYP’s highest priority.”